Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Aqaba Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Aqaba

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,660 per month in Mexico City vs $900 in Aqaba, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,565 per month in Mexico City vs $1,498 in Aqaba, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,470 per month in Mexico City vs $2,095 in Aqaba, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 84% more than Aqaba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 21% above the global median, while Aqaba is 34% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$2.77 JOD 1.96

330.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$67.8 JOD 47.98

-23.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$4.33 JOD 3.07

163.51%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$4.40 JOD 3.11

-9.32%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.61

$0.65 JOD 0.46

155.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.57 JOD 0.40

133.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$8.47 JOD 6.00

-59.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$10.91 JOD 7.73

-45.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$1.38 JOD 0.98

36.23%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$0.47 JOD 0.33

591.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$1.52 JOD 1.07

42.11%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$1.70 JOD 1.21

70.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$5.69 JOD 4.03

126.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$4.16 JOD 2.95

141.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$10.12 JOD 7.16

56.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$1.39 JOD 0.99

136.69%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$1.40 JOD 0.99

43.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$1.07 JOD 0.76

105.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$0.73 JOD 0.51

223.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$0.70 JOD 0.50

192.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$0.68 JOD 0.48

179.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.62 JOD 0.44

159.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$0.54 JOD 0.38

159.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$3.86 JOD 2.73

41.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$17.24 JOD 12.21

2.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$2.90 JOD 2.05

-28.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$2.51 JOD 1.78

86.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$0.48 JOD 0.34

337.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$1.40 JOD 0.99

-60.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$7.11 JOD 5.03

-18.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.42 JOD 1.00

13.38%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$31.6K JOD 22.4K

-27.79%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$31.4K JOD 22.2K

-14.86%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$65.2 MX$1,124

$130 JOD 91.8

-49.71%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$30.09 MX$519

$15.77 JOD 11.16

90.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$32.40 JOD 22.94

14.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$62.3 JOD 44.07

-4.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$11.12 JOD 7.87

-36.69%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,012

$491 JOD 348

-5.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$2,841 JOD 2,012

367.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$28.20 JOD 19.96

169.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$42.90 JOD 30.38

30.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$41.69 JOD 29.52

168.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$71.6 JOD 50.7

68.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$284 JOD 201

288.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$210 JOD 148

243.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$682 JOD 483

270.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$460 JOD 326

181.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$1,125 JOD 797

254.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$555 JOD 393

276.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$562 JOD 398

84.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

6.81

65.93%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Aqaba: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,103 in Mexico City versus $284 in Aqaba. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 85% higher in Mexico City, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Mexico City versus $68.0 in Aqaba. Groceries tell a different story – $345 in Mexico City vs $189 in Aqaba – so Aqaba wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Mexico City vs Aqaba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 84%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,489 per month in Mexico City and $1,350 in Aqaba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Aqaba, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,660 in Mexico City and $900 in Aqaba. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $465 per month in Mexico City and $491 in Aqaba. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Aqaba, where all-in costs run around $900, than in Mexico City at $1,660. In Aqaba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Aqaba – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Aqaba. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.